About the F-900

Congratulations on the purchase of your new F-900 Portable Ethylene Gas Analyzer. The F-900 provides accurate real-time measurement of ethylene gas concentrations in a compact instrument suitable for field and laboratory use. At the core of the instrument is an electrochemical sensor that offers extraordinary sensitivity to ethylene, at levels as low as 0.025 ppm (25 ppb) in air.

Ethylene production is known to increase in response to plant stress and during fruit ripening and maturity, and until recently, sensitive ethylene measurements were available only through elaborate and expensive gas sampling and gas chromatography analysis. The intent of the F-900’s portable design is to aid the research community in developing real-world ethylene management applications for the benefit of growers, processors, and consumers.

The F-900 analyzes the concentration of ethylene in a gas sample for the purpose of research or ethylene management. The F-900 employs electro-chemical sensors as well as several other sensors for temperature, humidity, GPS location, and optionally carbon dioxide (CO₂: high and low range) and oxygen (O₂). During a sample, the subject gas travels across the surface of the electrode and diffuses into the electrochemical cell where ethylene is oxidized. The current created by the oxidation is measured and interpreted as the concentration of ethylene (reported in parts per million or ppm).

We hope you enjoy using your F-900 Portable Ethylene Gas Analyzer.

Figure 1: The F-900 Portable Ethylene Analyzer front panel and display.